Everybody knows what a press release IS but I’m not entirely convinced that everybody knows WHY it’s called a press release and what PURPOSE it serves. I’m almost tempted to use the past tense here because the press release we all came to know has really changed or evolved rapidly over the last half a dozen years. PR teams must adapt and adjust to this reality. Here’s a before and after look at our beloved press release.
BEFORE: Press releases served to communicate news in a timely manner. They were targeted at audiences that carried the news to a greater population or, end audience or consumers of news) – hence, they mainly served the press.
NOW: Press releases serve a much wider audience whether we like it or not. They now target the carriers of news but also – more directly - serve the greater population. Today, the press leans on the press release much less as a source of news. And, people get their news from a lot more sources than traditional press articles (e.g., corporate websites, online only outlets, blogs, etc.).
BEFORE: Press releases either got picked up or thrown away. This is the reason why press releases were written with a heavy leaning toward persuading news desks, journalists, and reporters to pick up and run with the news. It’s how most PR people learned the craft. We were taught to write press release headlines to closely resemble news headline. This is why headlines were always conveying a great deal of news in as few words as possible (similar to headline you see in newspapers and magazine articles). I can’t say this is the case now. The entire structure of a press release is driven by this original purpose of serving the press: headline, dateline, introductory (lead) paragraph, boilerplate and even the “end” designation (e.g., ###). This is also the reason why press releases are double spaced. The journalist would print out the press release and mark it up. Editors would add comments etc.
NOW: Press releases get picked up no matter what. It has a 1.000 (or, perfect) batting average. With the Internet, every press release finds at least a handful of real estate on the Internet. Actually, this is not a good thing because most of the real estate is “non-prime” or ghost towns.
BEFORE: Press releases were tailor-made and served a specific purpose.
NOW: Press releases have lost their identity. They get used (or misused) in countless ways because they are now serving a variety of needs and delivered as a general purpose communication vehicle.
Every PR professional must adapt to the changing news environment. For those working at tech startups, the key adjustment to be made is actually fairly simple.
FOR EACH NEWS, WRITE TWO PRESS RELEASES
The press release that is intended to draw first hand, original content news coverage (by general media or trade press) is written differently than the press release that merely gets the news out. The former is written to persuade and cannot contain all the details while the latter must contain exhaustive details.
Press release “A” targets the journalist and aims to get expanded coverage. The content needs to contain the facts while being concise and compelling. Headlines have to be in news form (no 20 word techno mumbo jumbo please). The headline and first paragraph are premium sections. Most journalists do not read deeply past those parts. These press releases are not distilled versions of the more thorough, detailed press releases (see below). Don’t water it down. Make it more concentrated. The way you use these press releases is to offer them up to key trade and business press as “draft embargoes.” This will increase your chance of getting press coverage. The embargo approach does two things. First, it directly gets across relevant news to someone who would care and opens up an opportunity to add “commentary” (that is, some color) on the news. The goal of pitching news is to get a journalist interested enough to seek an interview with your company. Second, the embargo approach indirectly gives assurance to the journalist that he can commit to running his piece on your news because your news really will come out on the given embargoed date. It gets this message across.
Press release “B” is the full blown press release. This is the version that gets put out on news wire services, posted to your website, and distributed to all other classes of media (including redistributed to those you pitched with the embargoed version above). Just remember that both press releases are strictly consistent in what they are announcing.
Following the above approach has plenty of advantages. You’re essentially creating a single press release but adding a shorter, concentrated version targeting top tier press for coverage (journalist writes about your news in his own words and publishes it – powerful). Also, you’re disseminating a version that is intended for wider news pick up (both online and offline outlets print the press release “as is”). This is less powerful but equally important in today’s fragmented, widened news landscape.
Furthermore, you’re helping the company meet all of its goals in disseminating news to more constituencies than just the press without compromising the role and impact of great PR. Let’s face it. To insist that press releases are only for the press is to hide underneath a rock. The tech startup needs to use the press release as a communication vehicle for the press, business partners, field teams, investors, analysts, and customers. The traditional versions of the press release are not well suited for posting on websites, including in e-newsletters, etc. because (if effectively written) they will be heavy on the newsworthiness angle and shallow(er) on the depth of information. In contrast, the multi-use press release is heavy on details but lightweight on the persuasiveness and newsworthiness.
I don’t believe PR teams need to choose one over the other. It takes a small amount of additional time investment to do both. And, in cases where it makes sense to do one over the other, you’ll be in a better position to advise your CEO or management team on why a particular kind of approach is better suited for a given situation.
This approach will also naturally weed out the truly newsworthy from the rest. It’ll give PR people more credibility with the press they serve (by being more selective) and more credibility with the company they represent (by forcing a disciplined approach but with some degree of flexibility).
The next time you wonder why competitors are getting press coverage but you’re not, sit down with your PR agency or manager and talk details. How are the press releases being framed? What purpose are they serving? How are they pitching the news and to whom? What techniques are being employed to increase the chances of coverage? How are non-news pieces either being canned or adjusted? Asking very pointed, direct questions on the planning and execution will collectively yield insight into why something is working or not.
I’ve seen too many people just point to a lack of customers or generic statements like “this isn’t newsworthy” or “we can’t flood the press” or “this is not a press release but more of a marcom content to be posted to the website” … and about a dozen more. The big problem with this is that all of the reasons come AFTER the execution. PR people reluctantly agree to issue a press release then scramble to justify a lack of results after all is said and done (or not done). This is backwards and self defeating.
Set up clear expectations of rules, execution plan, and goals up front. This is where PR counseling is valuable. Some of what I discussed above is reflective of how I consult my CEO, management, and marketing teams to get our game plan consistent and fully supported. It has worked in the past and I believe it’ll work even more effectively now with an ever more blurred media landscape and the diversity of influencer audiences companies hope to keep informed.
- John
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